[PLUG] Emacs

Jeme A Brelin jeme at brelin.net
Wed May 15 22:33:51 UTC 2002


Hi.

I'm about to take a kind of plunge.

In an effort to avoid actually practicing becoming a better programmer,
I'm going to attempt to build, configure, and leanr to use emacs under the
guise that it will make programming easier when and if I ever work harder
to actually improve my skills.  (I'm also kind of looking forward to using
a truly GPL mail reader that does everything I want it to do, but that's a
maybe right now.)

So, I'm just putting out feelers to find out if there is anything I need
to know before building emacs from source.  Is there some option that
needs to be compiled in to allow me to use particular modules, extensions,
or scripts?  Roughly how big is an emacs installation?  Should I create a
special /usr/local/emacs to hold all the emacs-specific stuff?  How many
of the add-ons need to be rebuilt when emacs is rebuilt?

My intent is to build GNU Emacs.  I am, of course, generally more
concerned with the social, legal, and political aspects of the software
than the technical merits, but I will consider particular comparisons and
contrasts to other Emacs streams to help inform my decision.

Anyway, this is an open call.  What can y'all tell me that'll help my
transition?

I've got a book (O'Reilly's Learning GNU Emacs -- the gnu book).  I don't
really have money for another.  I can look at the FSF's manual online, of
course.

But building the thing is another story.  So, if you've got something to
say, I'd like to hear it.

J.
-- 
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     Jeme A Brelin
    jeme at brelin.net
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